The Little Book of Tales
by windguideyou
Summary: Ma'isa is a half-Khajiit, half-Nord girl who has traveled with the trading caravans her entire life. When she receives an offer to join the Thieves Guild, her skills are quickly put to the test and she's forced adapt fast as she is thrust into a new world that is far more expansive and dangerous than she ever expected. Follows the Thieves Guild questline. Eventual BrynjolfxOC
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Hi! This is my first time writing fanfiction in a few years, and my first time writing for a video game. The Khajiit point of view is fun, but I'm not always entirely sure how much sense it's making. Hopefully, my lore is mostly right too. So, please, please, please review! Let me know what you think and how I make this better! :)_

7th day of Hearthfire, 4E 199

Ever since Ma'isa joined on with Ahkari's caravan, Zaynabi has been urging her to keep a little book to record her thoughts and what takes place around her. Khajiit knows that Zaynabi does this faithfully every night after she eats a little moon sugar, and though Isa has never possessed the patience to keep up a journal, it seemed a pleasant habit. Zaynabi gave this journal to Isa as a parting gift, and so to honor her friend, Isa thinks she will try.

To be truthful, (because what harm could there be in speaking the truth here? That is the point of this little book, no?) Isa confesses that she does not like the idea of this book for she does not care to reflect on her past and, until this strange day, Isa never imagined that she would have anything of interest to write in such a book. By Alkosh, this day has been strange and memorable and is surely the beginning of something new, so here Isa will try to describe it as best she can. Or rather, Isa ought to write 'I will try' since I am supposed to be practicing 'common' speech patterns. It is a long story.

Masser and Secunda, but where to start? Today in Riften, I met a Nord man who has offered me a life beyond the caravans as a member of the Thieves Guild. I first met this man two years ago. Yes, little book, that was after the bandit attack and before I joined Ahkari's caravan. Immediately after, in fact. When I had escaped, I was half-naked and starving in the forests of the Eastmarch. The Nords that I encountered on the roads refused to offer me any aid because I look Bosmer and they hate the elves. I do not like to think what they would have done to me if they knew what I really am. I was only sixteen. Sixteen seems so young now, but at the same time, it feels like yesterday. It haunts me as if it were yesterday.

I encountered this man- I do not know how to spell his name which is something like Brinyulf, but Isa is sure this is wrong- Nords spell things so strangely …so I will call him red Nord for now because he has the brightest red hair Isa, er, I have ever seen. The red Nord is a thief and he was traveling with a friend, a woman with skin and hair as white as the snows. Upon the point of death, I stumbled upon them a few days after my escape, and though they were thieves, they stopped and fed and clothed me. They were kind, but at such a point, I was desperate and that night, I robbed them and took off, determined to find my own people again. A week later, I found Ahkari and when she heard this one's tale, she took me with her for the sake of my father.

Today, the caravans stopped in front of Riften. I had just finished helping Kharjo with the fire and had returned to sit in front of my tent when the red Nord approached me from Ahkari's tent. I did not recognize him, but he knew me immediately. It might seem strange to see him again, but in retrospect, this is unsurprising to Isa because sometimes the skooma trade brings the Khajiit in contact with the Thieves Guild. Since I did not know him at first, I paid him a polite, standard greeting, "Khajiit welcomes you and also your coin."

This one is sorry to report he replied most dishonorably, pointing out that I do not look Khajiit (is my shame not obvious?) I had explained to him that my father was Khajiit and my mother a Nord, just as I had two years ago, before he decided to reveal he knew me. And then he had the poor sense to insult this one's pride further by implying I had lied about the bandits and what they did to my father's caravan, my family, and me in order to rob him. And! He was not angry with Isa, no, but impressed!

Perhaps this shouldn't surprise me so, no? Of course, I understand not every race can be as intelligent and strong and beautiful as Khajiit, being blessed by Azurah as we are, but Nords are remarkably dull-witted even compared to other humans. It seems to me all the Nords will believe anything if it conforms to their low opinions of other races. But it was strange that he was not angry.

He kept pushing, and this one must admit that she snapped at him. He certainly was not expecting someone so very small to be able to pull a knife on him and back him against a tree, but Kharjo and Dro'marash have taught me many useful things including how to hold my own against a larger, stronger opponent. It took the red Nord a few moments longer to realize that my story was true and he had been deeply offensive, and he did apologize well, I will give him that.

Khajiit know the Nords think our race dishonorable: thieves, bandits, dealers, and liars, but this one would not lie about such things taking place, and it is good that he believed me. He offered me a place in his guild even though Khajiit are not allowed in the city. He thinks that if I remember to disguise my accent, that I will pass for a Bosmer, and while this is probably true, it still makes me nervous and I told him as much, but he says I can hide my accent well, and it should work. He told me to trust him; he usually has a nose for these sort of things. We shall see. Nevertheless, he wishes to take me into the city under the cover of the night sky, so I wait with my few belongings in a knapsack.

Ahkari has, of course, agreed. I suspect she is relieved to see me go. She was looking after me to honor my father, and it's time the debt was repaid. Besides, I think I make her and Zaynabi nervous; I am a living reminder of the dangers of the roads. Every caravan has been attacked by bandits before, and I've helped to defend Ahkari's myself, but such violence and hatred has been unheard of. When I go, perhaps they will not remember so sharply, but I will never forget the pain and the helplessness and the shame, try as I might.

I need to get away from this life; it hurts too much, like pressing on a broken limb. It is the reason I listened to the red Nord's offer at all, well, that and because he was so kind to this one and Khajiit is not so ungrateful. I am hoping that by leaving this behind and taking my life into my own hands, I may start to heal, as I should have two years ago.


	2. Chapter 2

_7th day of Hearthfire, 4E 199_

Well, here I am writing in this little book again for the second time today. It was good to start to put into words what has been gnawing at me for so very long. Currently I am writing from a strange man-made cave that directs the waters from Lake Honrich under Riften. Brinyulf calls this the Ratways. Aye, but it is so strange for me. I've never set foot in a city before, nor slept on a bed. At night, Khajiit slept knowing only leather skins kept one from seeing the sky. Right now, it is all too much to be hiding underground in stone. Khajiit feels trapped. And my heart hurts to be separated from my kind.

The red Nord came to speak with me as he saw I hadn't been able to sleep. He's funny; he apologized because the Cistern was as he put it, "far from the most comfortable or glamorous of accommodations."

Masser and Secunda, he does not know… to think Isa is offended by the lack of glamor of his sewer hole…I told him as much and he chided me for speaking in so poor an accent. Sometimes Khajiit forgets, it is true, but it will only improve. He also said that if I feel so strongly, that I am free to return to the caravans. I could see in his face that he knew I would not leave before I'd at least completed the job and so he is waiting to see whether or not I am worth convincing.

"It is good to be away though," I told him. "It is good to not be reminded every single day and to not have to pretend one is merely picking up old threads." This one knew he'd understand what she meant. He stopped and just looked at me for a moment. It was unnerving, as if he were looking straight through me and seeing all the small and great worries and fears this one carries close to her heart. I shake the feeling as best as I can. "Thank you for listening. I don't know why I'm telling you anyways…"

He blinked and then smiled. "My natural charm," he said and then offered to get me a bedroll instead if that would help. This one gratefully accepted. Tomorrow, Khajiit will show the red Nord that she is worth such kindness.


	3. Chapter 3

_Morning, 8th day of Hearthfire, 4E 199_

When Isa woke in the morning, all the other thieves around the Cistern were still asleep in the beds lining the pool. I felt briefly a sudden pang of sickness and panic to be so far underground and away from the warm sun and my own kind. It was kind of the red Nord to let me stay here since Khajiit had not passed whatever trial was necessary, but by Alkosh, this place will take getting used to.

Isa slipped out the bedroll and pulled up the hood of the traveling robes I'd slept in and pulled on my boots. I looked around the area; no other Khajiit nor any Argonians This did not surprise this one.

I saw the red Nord asleep on a bed on the other side and for an instant, this one was grabbed by an impulse to go and shake him awake and demand where they kept the food in this strange place. I had no money, there was nothing to hunt, and this one doubts he'd appreciate Khajiit stealing from the very guild she was supposed to be joining, but I was starving. My back also hurt a little because the stone I'd slept on was so much harder than the earth.

I moved towards the center of the Cistern where I could see a patch of light streaming from the outside. From here I could see the man more clearly. He is good-looking for a man, I supposed. Despite the scars that cross his face and a nose that has clearly been broken more than once, he has strong, attractive features, and Isa likes his fiery mane and his pretty, lilting voice. It felt strange to watch him. I had spent to past year mooning over Kharjo, Isa must confess, and have never before considered a human or an elf attractive. Azurah made Khajiit to be the fastest, cleverest, and most beautiful of Nirni's children. How could a Nord compare? Still, as painful as it is to acknowledge it, Ids looks more human or mer than Cathay, and it more likely that a Nord would care to sleep with me than another Khajiit. Not that a Nord would… it's all just hypothetical.

I turned away from him and decide to poke around the place a little. Besides the Flagon, a giant locked door, and a small practice room, I saw little of interest. I supposed that I was allowed to head above ground and exploring the city was an exciting prospect, but I was afraid; afraid of looking or sounding too Khajiit, of not knowing how to interact with the city-dwellers and so I stayed put. I made my way into The Ragged Flagon and found it empty except for the barkeeper who was taking care of something or other behind the bar; Isa couldn't see to tell. He looked up and me and raised an eyebrow.

"So you're Brynjolf's new protégé? Don't look like much to me." He didn't sound completely unfriendly, so Isa shrugged lightly in response. "Might just be because you're underfed. Got any coin?" I shook my head, but at that moment my stomach chose to loudly contract. He sighed and tossed me an apple, which I caught with both hands.

"Thank you," I said, but truthfully, Khajiit was not yet hungry enough to want an apple. Khajiit likes meat and she likes sweets, and an apple is neither.

"Don't expect that to happen –ever- happen again. We must really be in dire straights if he's stared recruiting scared little girls," the man muttered. "What's your name, girl?"

"Isa. Isabel," I lied and sniffed at the apple. Oh, what I would have given for a fried fish or even a cut of raw venison. Or a sweet roll, preferably sprinkled with some moon sugar. Ahkari had given me a little, but I did not want to waste it. Still, it was a generous offer for a thief, this one must suppose, and it was better than nothing, so I bit into it.

After a few moments, he prodded, "Got a story?"

"Oh yes, as much as you, hmm?" I replied with a hint of smile. "And yet you still have not given your name."

"Vekel. I own the Flagon, but until you've joined officially, I don't have anything to talk to you about."

"Good to know," Khajiit said, perhaps a little sarcastically.

Fortunately, the man merely chuckled before asking, "You're not one of those damn priests, are you?"

I blinked in confusion before I remembered what I was wearing. "No, no. These are just travel robes."

"If you get in, Tonilia will set you up with some decent guild armor."

"I thought you didn't want to talk to me."

He frowned before saying, "It's been fairly quiet around here lately. Thieves aren't the chattiest bunch by nature and we've been a bit down on our luck, as I'm sure Brynjolf mentioned. It makes the place gloomier than a tomb sometimes."

"It feels like a tomb down here. Like a barrow. How do you get used to being so far away from the sun?" He stared at this one.

"Girl, we're thieves. We avoid the sun." Khajiit just shrugged. "What are you anyways? Some sort of elf?"

"My mother was a Nord," I said stubbornly, indicating the subject would end there. I hoped Brynjolf was right and he'd assume me part Bosmer. He looked over me and said nothing.

At that moment, the red Nord chose to appear at the lip of the sewer that led from the Cistern and the Warrens to the Flagon. "You're up early, lass," he remarked as he sat down at the bar. Vekel started foraging for a mug and a bit of breakfast for the thief. Brynjolf laid a few septims on the counter before adding, "Get something for the lass as well, would you? Isa, what do you want?"

This one must confess her ears perked up at this. "Meat," I replied quickly and a moment later a twitched my nose in embarrassment. "Please." Brinyulf laughed aloud and the shrugged at Vekel.

"The lass knows what she wants." At the same time, Khajiit could see wariness in his eyes; he probably thought that I was going to bite straight into whatever I was given like an animal. The joke was on him, because I clearly do not have the jaws of a great cat to do it even if I wanted to and just because we are called a beast race does not make us beasts. Nords.

The meat set before Isa was unidentifiable and so probably skeever, but that suite this one fine and she quickly scarfed it down, using proper utensil's to Brinyulf relief. This one really ought to learn to spell his name.

"Let's get going then. I need to be up at my stall, and we can catch the morning wave of market-goers."

"We follow then," I said without thinking, and in return I received a subtle, but warning glance from Brynjolf.

He led me back out through the Ratways and when we'd reached the door that led out to Riften when he stopped me.

"Now here's what's going to happen. You're going to go up to the market stalls, go to the Argonian's stall and then steal a plain silver ring from his strongbox. Then you're to plant it on the dark elf two stalls over. You give me a signal; meet my eye or something small, and I'll make a distraction for you. Don't start until I do and you're certain it's clear. Any questions?"

"Why are we doing this?" The question momentarily fazed him. Isa supposes that most of the other recruits were more hardened than this one, but I was still curious. It seemed a bit more personal and malicious to me than simply picking a man's pocket.

"A client wants to see Brand-Shei out of business permanently. Apparently he's been sticking his snout in places it's not wanted. It's not your business to know anymore than that."

I shrugged and asked him for a lockpick. He passed me a few. "And if I get caught?"

"I can't help you. So don't." Well, it is good to know. "Wait here for about ten minutes before you go into the market; we shouldn't be seen together right now."

I nod and pull up my hood and grab my knapsack.


	4. Chapter 4

_cont..._

Half an hour later, I'd taken the Ratways to The Ragged Flagon to wait for Brynjolf. It had gone off smoothly in every way, this one is proud to say, and Brand-Shei had been escorted off by two Riften guards to spend a week or so in prison. Brinyulf's distraction had been a highly entertaining and apparently fairly successful attempt to pawn off some pigshit potion he called 'Falmer Blood Elixir'. Isa almost regretted not being able to hear his ludicrous patter beyond a few snatches of phrases that drifted past my concentration- "Grow back that missing limb!" "Make love like a saber cat!"

There were a few patrons sitting about the tables, but after a man nearly the size of a frost troll told me to clear out, I'd waited by the door instead. Soon Brinyulf came striding in, looking for me with a smug half-smile on his face. He was in the same expensive blue robes as he'd worn in the market and I had to admit, fine as they were and as handsome as he was, he still looked off and unsettling in them, like a wolf in sheep skin.

I started to cross back to the tavern again, and when the burly man tried to stop me again, I said, "No trouble, friend. This one just wants to speak to Brinyulf." The man himself saw me crossing and came to meet me.

"Let her in, Dirge. She's one of us." He brought me to a table and we sat down. "Well, well, color me impressed, lass. I'm surprised that went off without a hitch. Here's your coin."

After catching a pocketing the pouch of septims he tossed me, I inquired," And what is next, hmm?"

"One more little test. I need you to pay a few business owners a visit. They owe our organization some serious coin, and they've decided not to pay," he laid out. "I want you to explain to them the error of their ways."

"And who are these renegade business owners?" I asked. I didn't like the sound of this, but I'd hear him out.

"Keerava, Bersi Honey-Hand, and Haelga," he replied. "Do this right, and I can promise you a permanent place in our organization."

And there it was. Seemed Khajiit didn't really have much a choice. As much as Isa would miss the caravans, I was ready to move on and I decided that this was my next path. It didn't mean that this one had to be elated about the task. "You forget that I do not know my way around. Who are these people?" This one did not particularly care if this made her seem lazy. Frankly, it seems lazy and even stupid to KHajiit to hand an intimidation job to a girl of my age and stature.

"Keerava runs The Bee and Bard, Bersi, The Pawned Prawn, and Haelga has a bunkhouse for temporary workers. Now you don't need me to hold your hand and show you where each location is now, do you?"

I ignored the barb. "So you want me to go and ruffle their feathers till the coin falls out. All right. I can do that." I didn't bother trying to hide my putout expression.

He frowned a little, but I don't think he was truly angry with me. "Look, lass, it's a test. Show me you're versatile. And honestly, the debt is secondary here," he confided with a serious look. "It's about letting the city know that the guild is not a force to be lightly crosses. And, I should hope this goes without saying, but do it cleanly. Leaving corpses in your wake is bad for business all around, understand?" I nodded and rose to my feet. "If you need information on any of them, you know where to find me. Now get going."

On a whole, it went very smoothly, though the first two were skeptical at first. They insulted my height and light build, and then the efficacy of the guild anymore, but by the time I got to Keerava, the Argonian barkeeper had heard what happened to Bersi and Haelga (which was nothing serious, truly, just a bit of property damage. By which I mean, I went into their homes and destroyed their most prize possessions before their eyes. Aye, this one is not proud of that) and elected to avoid all the trouble and simply pay up front. The Argonian sweeping the floor couldn't resist giving me a dirty look on the way out, but Isa ignored it. I was thankful she had given over without a fight because Brynjolf had hinted the way to get to her was not a statue or an ugly bowl, but threatening her family or Talen-Jei. Isa is thankful it did not come to that; she isn't sure she would have done it.

And so I've finished my final task and in the morning when I deliver the gold to Brinjulf, I'll be part of the Thieves Guild. I'm waiting till morning because it's obscenely late and this one doesn't care to go through the Ratways at such an hour and in all honesty would probably end up lost. It's not a pleasant place to end up lost, this one guesses. Besides, it is a chance to sleep beneath the moons again. The cemetery behind the temple of Mara is grassy and secluded, so that's where I'll lay my head. Good night, little book. Hopefully the next time I write, I will not be so hungry and tired.


	5. Chapter 5

_9th day of Hearthfire, 4E 199_

Come morning, when it was still not yet fully light, this one was rudely awakened by Brynjolf's boot at my back. It was a gentle nudge, but he should have thought better of disturbing me in my sleep. I sat up in a moment with my dagger drawn before I realized it was only him.

He told me to sheath the weapon, which I sleepily did, before I passed him the bags of gold from my knapsack. "Khajiit would have come in the morning," I said with a yawn.

"-I- would have come in the morning," he corrects me. "And I know, I read your 'little book.'" At the sight of my incredulous face, he rolled his eyes. "Only the last page. Wanted to see what you were planning on doing with all that gold you're carrying. Wouldn't be the first time you've run off with something of mine."

"I was tired. I didn't know how to get back," I snapped, thanking the divines that he hadn't read farther back then that. This one will have to be more careful with this little book in the future.

"I didn't know whether a guard had pinched you, you'd run off, or if you were lying face down in one of the canals," he replied forcefully. Voice softening, he continued, "But you meant well and you did the job cleanly and brought the coin, so it's water under the bridge. Come, let's get back underground; then we'll talk." He offered me his hand, which I took to get myself to my feet. "By the way, lass, you're spelling my name wrong."

"I'd figured as much."

"B-R-Y-N-J-O-L-F"

"Thank you. I hope you don't plan on checking to see if I get it right," I replied with a bit of smile. Brynjolf. Brynjolf. Stupid Brynjolf with stupid letters that don't make sense.

He laughed a little. "I'd recommend getting a lock for it, but if you're living among thieves…" When he is not cross, his voice is rather glorious, warm and pleasant like a nap in the sun or honey mixed into warm milk (the thought of which made my stomach rumble). As we headed towards the Ratways, he took out a handful of coins, and after quickly counting them over, he passed them to me. "Your share, lass."

We continued until we'd passed through the door and could see The Flagon on the other side. "So here we are," he said lightly, crossing his arms.

"Here we are," I repeated, a little confused. Yes, this one could see where we were.

"Yesterday, you said you weren't sure and agreed to run a job with me. Did you find it to your liking?" With his bright eyes and wolfish grin, he was handsome, but really almost obnoxiously confident that I'd give him the answer he wanted. Though I knew I'd stay, I didn't want to make it so easy for him.

"You got four jobs out of me," I pointed out.

"You weren't complaining," he replied, his grin lessening.

"And now I am. Look you asked me as a thief. If I join, I will not be sent to scare old men in the night and threaten people's families. And if I'm the best option you have for those sorts of jobs, your guild is in sorry shape and I don't want in. This one is clear, yes?"

I regretted pushing back so hard as I saw his eyes take on a hard, dangerous glint. I knew to back down now was worse and so I held his gaze.

"If you find it that upsetting, we do have other guild members who've proved themselves already who are up to the task. It's not for me to decide who gets kicked what jobs. I'm not the Guild Master." His voice was low and quiet. Ohhh, this one had miscalculated and made a rather huge mistake. The man was doing me a favor, and I'd been too proud to play along. He sighed and glanced over me; I felt like he was seeing me as a disappointing child, which made anger slowly begin to simmer in my blood. Of course, maybe this would have gone better if Isa was not so tired and hungry, and right then, I blamed him for that.

"I've had dealings with Khajiit before, and you're similar to us Nords in that you are a people who take your independence and your pride seriously. I see that in you, along with their cunning and quick-thinking, and I can appreciate it since you tend to be amusing. I do –not- appreciate you behaving like a mouthy child. Are we clear?" While nodding, I cursed my face for turning red. Still it seemed very unfair. If I didn't do what other wanted, I didn't have reasons, no, no, I was being childish or stupid. That's what being new blood means though. This one can remember her first few months with Ahkari were not so different. "Mercer will not be as understanding as I've been," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"Now this isn't how I wanted this conversation to go," he admitted with a sigh. "You're quick and efficient, and you've got the fire and the skills we need around here. I'm offering you a place in our outfit. What do you say?"

"I'm in." I looked up at him for some reassurance. His eyes were warm again and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"This is probably the biggest decision you've made in your life," he inferred in that lilting voice of his.

"I'd never thought I'd leave the caravans, let alone enter a city, even if I dreamed of it," I confessed. "Life is funny in this way, no?"

"That it is, lass, that it is," he said with a sympathetic smile. "But I think you'll do more than fit around down here. Now, are you ready to follow me? I'll show you what we're all about." I would have liked to eat first but I followed him anyways, through The Flagon to the Cistern. The troll man didn't even try to stop me this time. Ha. In the center of the cavern under the pale sunlight stood a Breton man. "Mercer, this is the one I was telling you about."

Next to Brynjolf, Mercer was short and scrappy, though still a good deal bigger than me. His brown hair was graying and he had fierce, intelligent eyes that cut right through me. I knew instantly Brynjolf had been right in saying he is not a man to be crossed. Or trusted, I added to myself. He smells off to Isa.

"This had better not be another waste of the Guild's resources, Brynjolf," Mercer said with a frown. Turning to me, he looked me up and down, wrinkling his nose. Yes, yes, I knew I was a little girl, let's please move on. No one ever stops to think that eighteen is not as young to Khajiit as it is to Nords. We grow faster, and I am always going to be small. Well, to be fair, she supposes it is young for an elf. Feh. His mere presence was making me cross. Thankfully he made no outright remark, instead saying, "Before we continue, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. Break the rules and you lose your share. No debates, no discussion…you do what we say, when we say. Do I make myself clear?"

There is no word for rules in the Khajiiti language. We call them thjizzrini, or in common tongue, 'foolish concepts'. I don't think either man would appreciate me mentioning it right now, so after a quick glance at Brynjolf, who was keeping his face remarkably stony to his credit, I nod. ""Understood." I was not about to be called mouthy anyone again today at least.

"Good," Mercer said. "Then I think it's time we put your expertise to the test."

Brynjolf turned sharply to Mercer. "You're not talking about Goldenglow, are you? Even our little Vex couldn't get in!"

Mercer now directed his hard stare to Brynjolf. Apparently it was a rarity for the Nord thief to contradict him in front of others. I wondered what Goldenglow was and how bad it could possibly be. Slowly, Mercer explained, "You claim this recruit possesses an aptitude for this line of work. If so, let her prove it." Brynjolf scrunched his mouth together in a way that Khajiit is very familiar with; I often make that same expression holding my tongue against my will. I made a note to talk to him later, out of earshot of Mercer. The Guild Master turned to me now and addressed me in that low, gravely, condescending voice. "Goldenglow estate is critically important to one of our biggest clients. However the owner has suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands and shut us out. He needs to be taught a lesson. Brynjolf will give you the details."

He turned around and started to head away when Brynjolf called after him, "Mercer, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, Since Brynjolf assures me you'll be nothing but a benefit to us, you're in. Welcome to the Thieves Guild." With that he stalked off.

"Quite the ceremony," I murmured humorously under my breath.

"Sorry if you were looking for something with a bit more pomp. That's not how we operate," he replied as we walked back to The Flagon. He could tell I wasn't entirely serious, but I still sighed and rolled my eyes.

"You do not know," I told him, glancing up at him with a small smirk.

He let out a short laugh. "According to you, there's a lot I don't know," he pointed out.

"More than some, less than others," I quipped lightly.

He stopped and looked at me, and though he seemed amused, I wasn't sure precisely what he was thinking. "Maybe someday you'll let me know exactly what it is I'm missing."

Was he flirting? Truly I think only my shock saved me from blushing like a child, even though I was unsure. "You'd like that, hmmm?" I responded, returning his appraising look with a smile now instead of a smirk. "Perhaps one day. When you're older."

He laughed and we started to walk again. "Welcome to the family, lass. I'm expecting you to make us a lot of coin, so don't disappoint me. You should talk to Delvin Mallory and Vex, They know their way around this place and they'll be able to kick some extra jobs your way. Oh, and talk to Tonilia in The Flagon… she'll set you up with your new armor."

"When does Mercer want me to do this job and how long will it take?" I asked. "This one is tired and hungry."

"If I were you, I'd get the armor, eat, and then sleep as long as you need and then come and find me. It'll probably be easier to get in at night anyways."

I nodded and tottered off to The Flagon. With my cut, I bought food and drink and paid Vekel back for that apple.

"It's good to see a new face around," he says idly, passing me my mug. I smile in response. "I heard Mercer's put you on The Goldenglow job. You'd better watch yourself, kid."

"So I've been told," I replied. After I finished eating, I head over to Tonilia, who advised me to stay away from Vekel because they had a thing going. I would've roll my eyes and tell her I'm not interested in Nords except for one stupid exception, but I just nod. People seem to like me better when I shut up and nod. Except for Brynjolf, but that's only sometimes. She then proceeded to tell me she doesn't care what I chose to act like as long as I get the coin and so on, and then finally she turned to look for some armor that might just fit me.

"By the Nine, you're a tiny thing," she remarked, finally pulling out a leather cuirass. "Bosmer?"

"My mother was a Nord," I said softly. I hate having to lie about what I am. I hate that it's possible for them to look at me and see a Bosmer.

She sensed my discomfort and took it to mean I was embarrassed to be mer. "Look, I don't care what you are, and neither does anyone else. You could be an Argonian for all we care as long as you're loyal to the guild and bring in coin. Try this," she passed me the cuirass and greaves. I pulled the grieves under my robes and then since I was wearing a tunic under my robes, pulled them off and started to strap the armor on with Tonilia's help. It was tight, but unobtrusively so and more comfortable and easy to move in then I'd imagined. She then found me some boots, gauntlets and hood, which I then put on as well.

"You're lucky you're built so flatly," she said. "Otherwise, I don't think I'd anything to fit you. This was Rune's armor when he was fifteen. Before he grew." Yes, yes, thank you for letting Isa know she fits perfectly into the armor of a scrawny fifteen-year-old boy. I did thank her though, the armor, though old and worn, is still in good condition and nicer by far than anything I've ever owned in my life, except for perhaps my father's amulet. I changed back to my robes, because I planned on sleeping and headed to the Cistern. Tonight, I'll eat, talk to Brynjolf, and then head out.


End file.
